Clarice Clayton Swinney
Private First Class, U.S. Army

Clarice Clayton Swinney is the son of George William and Cleo Smith Swinney.

In September 1950, Private First Class Clarice Clayton Swinney was serving with a Machine-Gun Section of Company H, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division, in Korea.

On 3 September, PFC Swinney's unit was engaged with enemy forces near Waegwan, South Korea. Company F, 7th Cavalry Regiment, with an attached machine-gun section from Company H, was defensively deployed on Hill 300 near Waegwan when elements of a hostile division launched a mass attack against the hill preceded by a heavy artillery and mortar barrage. When it became apparent that the hill could not be held against the numerically superior enemy force, the Company was ordered to withdraw. PFC Swinney, a machine-gunner attached to the company, and two comrades volunteered to remain behind and cover the withdrawal. PFC Swinney remained at his gun delivering accurate fire into the ranks of the advancing enemy until his position was overrun. He then began throwing hand grenades and engaging the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. When the company launched a counterattack later in the day and regained the hill, PFC Swinney was found dead beside his machine gun and the surrounding area was littered with enemy dead. PFC Swinney's extraordinary heroism earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Combat Infantryman Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Private First Class Clarice C. Swinney (ASN: RA-18335761), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with a machine gun section of Company H, 2d Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division. Private First Class Swinney distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Waegwan, Korea, on 3 September 1950. On that date, Company F, 7th Cavalry Regiment, with an attached machine-gun section from Company H, was defensively deployed on Hill 300 near Waegwan when elements of a hostile division launched a mass attack against the hill preceded by a heavy artillery and mortar barrage. When it became apparent that the hill could not be held against the numerically superior enemy force, the company was ordered to withdraw. Private Swinney, a machine-gunner attached to the company, and two comrades volunteered to remain behind and cover the withdrawal. He remained at his gun delivering accurate, withering fire into the ranks of the advancing enemy until his position was overrun, then began throwing hand grenades and engaging the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. When the company launched a counterattack later in the day and regained the hill, Private Swinney was found dead beside his machine gun and the surrounding area was littered with enemy dead.

General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 461 (June 25, 1951)

Burial

Private First Class Clarice Clayton Swinney is buried at Pleasant Grove Cemetery #01 in Decatur, Wise County, TX.

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